“Life is a series of baby steps along the way and if you add up these tiny little steps you take toward your goal, whatever it is, whether it’s giving up something, a terrible addiction or trying to work your way through an illness. When you total up those baby steps you’d be amazed over the course of ten years, the strides you’ve taken.” ~ Hoda Kotb It is not always easy to recognize addiction, which leaves many people asking: how do I know if I’m really an addict? Addiction can take on many

If you have recently started (or you are thinking about starting) recovery from addiction, you are understandably looking for the most powerful tips for avoiding relapse during this recovery process. The reality of addiction is that at least half of those who enter recovery will relapse at some point. This means that they will fall back into their old habits, whether that means heavy drinking or abusing drugs. While this relapse statistic may appear disheartening at first, it is important to understand that addiction is a very powerful disease. A fifty-percent relapse rate should actually

The first 90 days of your recovery is unquestionably the most important part of your addiction recovery process. There just is no doubt. For starters, if your first 90 days of recovery don’t go well, you may not get to day 91. You’ll be too busy starting over again from day 1. Relapse is at its highest rate during the first three months of recovery. Everything will be at greatest risk, including your overall health. As a result, this is the time in your recovery when it is absolutely the most vital to take good

Having a sibling with addiction is one of the most heart-rendering things you can go through. In fact, watching any loved one go through addiction is unspeakably difficult. You can see the problem, you know something has to be done, but you feel powerless to actually help. This is something of a mirror image to the way an addicted person feels about their own situation. They know something isn’t quite right, and they’d really like to make the necessary changes to get themselves back on track, but there’s something there that simply won’t allow that

Substance abuse, whether in the form of drug addiction or alcoholism, is a disease that affects everyone – even celebrities. Despite the trappings of fame, they have the same genetic predispositions, painful traumas, insecurities, and anxieties as the rest of us. Some people would even argue that their notoriety and wealth makes it even easier for them to feed their personal demons. Tabloid headlines are constantly full of sad tales of famous people who have lost or are losing their battle with addiction. Yet there are positive stories. There are many celebrities who are in

"Achieving true sobriety goes beyond abstinence. It's also about healing your soul, apologizing for damage you did others, and seeking forgiveness." ~ Lou Gramm, Jukebox Hero: My Five Decades in Rock 'n Roll There was a time where if you put it in front of me, I drink it, smoked it, snorted it, or swallowed it down with abandon. Not coincidentally, that was also the time that I was constantly sick, typically frantic, alienated from my loved ones, and always desperate. That was about three years ago. Today, I completely abstain from recreational drugs and

Recovering from an alcohol or drug addiction is not easy. Often, the disease of addiction has worn a person down to the point that they may have almost no confidence in themselves and their ability to face the challenges and roadblocks along their path back to sobriety. Words of Wisdom Are Welcomed by People in Successful Recovery When difficulties arise – and they will – it can often be helpful to have motivational and inspirational sayings at the ready. These aren't mere platitudes. The right words at the right time can help a recovering addict/alcoholic

Eight Positive Things People in Recovery Do Every Day "You can't make yourself feel positive, but you can choose how to act, and if you choose right, it builds your confidence." ~Julien Smith, The Flinch One of the first things people in recovery from alcoholism or substance abuse is that addiction is a disease – an incurable, chronic disease. It is incurable, because an addict/alcoholic there is currently no medicine they can take, no therapy they can undergo, no treatment they can receive, and no action they can take that will remove the predisposition that

"I gave myself permission to feel and experience all of my emotions. In order to do that, I had to stop being afraid to feel. In order to do that, I taught myself to believe that no matter what I felt or what happened when I felt it, I would be okay." ~Iyanla Vanzant, life coach and host of Iyanla: Fix My Life Substance abusers are not particularly well-known for their patience or forbearance. Most alcoholics/addicts in early recovery are unpleasantly dismayed to learn that although their problems do not magically and instantly go

Making Amends The eighth step in any 12 Step Program is all about making amends to those we’ve hurt. The path of addiction is a treacherous one, and more often than not, addicts leave a lot of “casualties” in their wake. Many friendships are torn or even lost altogether. Some families are split apart or harmed. Perhaps you can relate because you’ve lost some people whom you considered to be dear friends or loved ones, and it was all because of the power your addiction held over your life. Now that you’re on the path